Approved for Canadian permanent residency-What do I do now?

Mary Keyork provides Immigration Law services for hundreds of immigration applications in all categories and has appeared before all three divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board as well as at the Federal Court of Canada, successfully representing clients in complex immigration applications and hearings.

I was finally approved for my Canadian permanent residency! What do I do now? #HelpMe

Well first of all, congratulations!

We know how hard and long the process can be, but you made it through to the end. If you are wondering when you are going to receive your PR card, it can take about 1-2 months and this is completely normal. But you don’t need it in order to start getting some of your documents in order as you will have the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), which you received during your landing at the border or at an IRCC office.

Once you have landed in Canada, we recommend that your first stop be at the Service Canada office and get your Social Insurance Number (SIN). This is the number you will need in order to be able to work in Canada and of course, to pay your taxes.

Next, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with the department of motor vehicles in your area (the SAAQ in Quebec, Service Ontario in Ontario) if you wish to obtain a Canadian Driver’s License.

With respect to your health care coverage, you will need to apply for this at the designated office. We recommend that you inquire about this at the respective health office immediately after you land as each province has different instructions and requirements in applying and obtaining health care coverage – note that there is usually a delay from the date that you become a permanent resident to the day that you will have your health care coverage. In most provinces, there is a period of a few months where you will not have health coverage as this is a federal policy – we, therefore, recommend that you take the necessary precautions in order to have travel health insurance for that period of time in the event of a medical emergency.

Once you receive your PR card, it will be valid for a period of 5 years. In order to be able to renew your PR card when it expires, you will have to meet the residency requirement of 2 years out of 5 of physical presence in Canada. If you travel very often outside of Canada, we recommend that you keep all the dates and details of your travels as this can be helpful in calculating your residency at the time of your renewal.

Finally, as a Permanent Resident of Canada, if you live in Canada 3 years out of 5, you will be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship. Once you become a Canadian citizen, you will no longer be a Permanent Resident and you will be issued a Canadian citizenship certificate, which you can use to apply for a Canadian passport.